Entering bullet time, Nathan Davis refuses to give in and sauce-ifies some bad guys.
Facing the past is like kissing the mouth of a gun, a bullet trembling in its dark nest, ready to blow your head off. Love kills. Gamers have been patiently waiting for it and here it is - the return of our favourite depressed guy, Max Payne, and his detailed poetry. This time he's knee-deep in trouble involving a woman - this is his love story, and it's a jewel.
Like the original, the storyline makes for an interestingly twisted experience, even the dreamtime 'prologue' sequences make a return, and thanks to the powers that be there's no confusing follow-the-dark-red-paths mazes.
The physics in this game rocks, in particular the implementation of ragdoll physics. You shoot someone - or something for that matter -- in any certain place, and it'll act accordingly, like it would in our real world. Like a bullet or four hitting a human arm, the character's body will follow the arm. No crappy SoF2 scripted deaths, just good dynamic killing. Even just walking through a room, no matter how careful you are you'll knock over so many things Mr. Clumsy himself would be impressed. That's quite simply, cool.
Bullet time (BT) is back, and better than before. Now you are rewarded with bonus BT every time you hit an enemy. Also, without affecting your speed, you go even deeper into BT when you take out multiple enemies, slowing the world around you but not affecting your own speed. Additionally, when reloading in BT, it's instant - you do a quick spin and you have yourself a full clip. All of this really adds to the excitement of using BT.
The building begins to moan. Seconds later leaping out the window you spot him, falling. Equipping your Dragunov, you peer through your scope - training the black cross of death on the never-ending stream of enemies intent on filling, with waves of lead, your now-motionless newfound love, Max.
'What the heck?', you say. Well, this time around you also get to play a sexy chick. The storyline works very well with the gameplay, twice switching to your hot female counterpart, Mona. When you first change over to her, you jump back in time and play the experiences that she had just been through whilst helping you. This way you get to see and experience both sides of the story. This switching characters works really well and adds a good dollop of intrigue to the story. Lara, eat your heart out - Mona can slow down time.
This game gleams in many ways, and is very re-playable. In fact you will be begging for more, as this is merely a weekend-long game. If the mods for the original are anything to go by, this game has quite a life ahead of it. If you didn't like the original, chances are you'll love this one. It's a similar experience, but with far more enhanced graphics and gameplay, plus you get to play as a chick.
This is yet another gripping chapter in the life of our favourite troubled hero - a damn hot must-play. It's not all that often a second incarnation of a game is as exciting/different as the first, but MP2 does just that with even more vividness. In all his power and sweet ability to slow time, Max is back, and the world is out to get him. It's about the love and the pain. It's the ultimate gripping choreography of bullet-flying brilliance.
Issue: 133 | February, 2012